Spirituality Books

I wish Nora Gallagher lived next door to me. I'd like to hear more about her courageous faith. I wanted more about practicing resurrection. She left me hungry. What a great title! Gallagher writes so wonderfully about matters unspeakable, ineffable, silent and deep. She puts words to hidden yearnings. The glimpse into the clerical side of the Ep[iscopal Church was fascinating too, and her critique enlightening. It's so gratifying to read a book about God that is real, touching, and grounded.

In Practicing Resurrection, Nora Gallagher writes movingly and spiritually about the various crises facing her and the world around her. Her book has a lot to say about living in community and finding spiritual direction; unfortunately, the structure of her tale does not contain a similar direction. It is riveting in the middle, but suffers from a muddled, boring beginning and a rambling, uncertain ending. It contains a lot of good thoughts hidden in the midst of irrelevant chatter. Perhaps the problem is more than structure, for Gallagher seems to travel from uncertainty to uncertainty and, though this is a journey, in the end, doesn't change all that much. Maybe she just wanted to write another book.

In this sequel to her bestseller Things Seen and Unseen (1998), Nora Gallagher continues to explore what a life of Christian faith marked by authenticity and integrity might look like in our contemporary world. She compares her journey of faith to the swimming lessons she took as a child: "The life of faith [is] amorphous, ephemeral, a glimpse, a moment. Trusting it [is] like my early swimming lessons learning to float." In particular, her brother Kit's diagnosis of bladder cancer, a prognosis for a "zero percent" chance of recovery, the horrors of surgery and chemotherapy, and eventual death all forced her to ask life-altering questions about God's call upon her own life.

The themes of vocation and call loom large in Practicing Resurrection. Through her many involvements at Trinity Episcopal Church in Santa Barbara, Gallagher began to wonder what might God have for her. To what could she devote her passion and considerable skills? Where did her joy and gladness intersect with the world's needs, as Buechner once put it? Sensing a possible call to the priesthood, her church formed a "discernment committee" of four saints. They met once a month for three hours across the year, plying Gallagher with questions, telling their own stories about vocation, reading the Scriptures, praying, and, perhaps most important of all, "honoring listening." What voices should she listen to? Which ones should she tune out? What about her husband's deep ambivalence? Was the priesthood any more sacred than her identity as a writer that she had nurtured for over thirty years? After negotiating the labyrinth of the Episcopal bureaucracy and its application process, Gallagher was "exiled" to a very different parish with a very different priest for a year as a ministry-study student. At first she felt like she and the priest were on a "bad blind date," but across the year she gained a deep appreciation for her mentor's faithfulness.

While Gallagher was trying to discern how she might hear God's call, Trinity Episcopal grappled with how as a church they might extend a call. Their interim pastor had informed the vestry that he was gay. Should that impact whether they called him as their regular priest? How did they guard issues of confidentiality once the vestry knew but the congregation did not? How to tell the congregation? What about feelings of distrust and betrayal? Should the church wrap the different but related matter of gay marriages in with the possible call of the pastor? How might the denominational officials respond, if at all?

You'll have to read this fine memoir to learn about Gallagher's call to church and the church's call to their pastor. In the end she likens herself to a friend who was listening to an unctuous priest ask, "what do you really want for Christmas this year?" Her friend responded, "What I wanted to do was to stand up and call out, 'I would like to really believe in the resurrection.'" Her remark reminded me of the words of the eminent church historian Jaroslav Pelikan, who near the end of his life said, "If Jesus rose from the dead, nothing else matters. If Jesus did not raise from the dead, nothing else matters." In practicing resurrection we thus inaugurate a tiny bit of God's eschatological future into our lives today.

Gallagher's fans, and their numbers are considerable, will want to note the release of her first novel, Changing Light, in early 2007.

I bought this book totally on the recommendations of all the previous Amazon reviewers. Nora G. is a very gifted and insightful author. I love the way that she is master weaver with her insights and honesty.

I am at the other end of her theological spectrum and disagree with all most all of her conclusions and positions. I find it amazing that in her spiritual "Christian" journey she rarely refers to scripture. So many of her insights bring clarity to the scripture and other points they disagree.

I will not keep this book and have no people I know interested in reading the copy I just read and will send it to anyone free" no postage fees.

tim@twright.co.uk

Nora Gallagher tells a wonderful story about the everyday as well as the "big" events of life. Through a year of searching for answers and asking the needed questions, she goes beyond the usual metaphors to look at how to deal with the death of her brother, how to reconnect to her husband and most significantly, how to make an decision about which road to take next in her life. Readers - don't be put off by the religious words and subtext of this powerful book! It is not a book about going to church, but rather about the value of people, prayer, introspection, respect and bravery in all our lives. Relish its beautiful language and poetic flow. It is well worth your time to live in the world created by Ms. Gallagher!

I highly recommend this book to all who are searching for a peaceful and praying life and forthe holy spirit's gudance.

This book is okay, but not great. She spends so much time quoting Jack Hayford he should get a cowriting credit.

I was looking for more meat. This one is pretty light weight.

"Worship is a choice we make. Whether we worship God or not, is always an act of our own will. Our will determines whether we make it our first reaction to things that happen to us - or don't happen to us - or a last resort. If we do not make it our first reaction, then we cannot possibly make it a way of life. And if we do not make praise a way of life, we will never experience all God has for us."


This book was a Christmas gift which I thoroughly enjoyed as I have never read any of the author's works. Stormie Omartian writting is incredible and she is bent on showing us how practical praising God and worshiping Him can affect all our lives. Because God dwells and inhabits the praises of His people we are sure that He is near, and as we send our praises up He sends His blessings down to us. There is no Praise that God the Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit are unaware of. He empowers us and draws us closer to Him. When we are closer to Him we yearn to be just like Him and we get the very sense of the Kingdom. Stormie Omartian walks us through the many reasons why we should praise God, and she allows us to know when praise is crucial.
Another thing I loved about this book was after each chapter there was a nice long prayer of Praise, then a study to make sure we understood what we had just read, and bible verses to dwell on. This book was well laid out and well written, and can be used as a devotional if you care to. Very well done. I look forward to reading more of Stormie Omartian's work. May God continue to bless her and use her towards the honour and glory of His Kingdom. For surely we can be made better and brighter christians by following her teaching.
Reviewed by Heather Marshall Negahdar (SUGAR-CANE 29/01/07)

This book has a different approach to prayers. It mainly concentrates in praising GOD under all circumstances. It is a very good book.

This book is a "must have" for every Christian. This book teaches you how to worship and praise God no matter what is happening around you.

Truly an amazing book! I love this author and have read a couple of her books. As I read the book, it is like she is thinking the same things as I am. I use this book as my devotion time and love how I feel after reading it! I also recommend Prayers For New Mothers.

This is a precious collection of prayers that hit the heart. Every word will encourage you to "hang in there" and enjoy these months. You better get a box of kleenex though before you start reading!

Bless you Angela for letting the Lord use you to write this book. It is a blessing. Thank you.

Thank you for writing this book. I feel like you wrote it just for me! I'm having my fifth child and this book is making this the most special pregnancy ever.

I am just about to have my first child and this book has been a God send to me. Angela was able to put the thoughts and emotions that I was having into words of praise for the Lord. Many times I would open the book when I was feeling down or discouraged and she would have written about exactly what I was feeling. I am now buying a copy for a friend that is expecting.

I took a chance on buying this book for my sister's birthday even though I could find no example of what kind of prayers were in it. I had seen some of the photography, though and I was impressed. I was not disappointed. The prayers are simple, elegant and inspiring. The photography is wonderful. I will post some images I snapped before giving it to my sister so you can see for yourself.

While I was at a local book store I saw and purchased a copy of "Prayers through the Seasons". I found that the photographs of the photographer David Middleton, who by the way was a major contributor to "The Nature of America", added emphasis to the prayers of Reverend Deborah Kaiser-Cross.

It is a wonderful bond of photography and short prayers. Each adds emphasis to the other. Definately of coffe table quality.

This book is the most wonderful collection of prayers and photographs that I have seen in a long time. Rev. Kaiser-Cross's prayers are beautiful and beautifully matched with Mr. Middleton's exceptionally inspirational photos. I would say this is a must have for nature lovers who feel the presence of God in the wonders of our natural world.

As a poet and lover of words, I find myself looking for visual stimulation. This special book surprised me with it's raw beauty. Nothing is more sacred than Nature. And Laurie Bohlke has created a special gift for the "tenderest" of us. I have to admit that I do not keep it with my "coffee table" books, but next to my best friends; the Dictionary and Thesaurus.

This beautiful book has been carefully put together. It is visually rich and spiritually inspiring. I would reccommend this book to any person who needs a little beauty and peace in his/herlife.

This book is so creative and fun. I love it.
It is easy to read and begin to put into action.
It would even be fun to use with children.

This book offers a very creative way to use simple drawing materials and doodling as a form of prayer. Using color, shape, and lines makes it easy to stay engaged in prayer, whether on behalf of others or for oneself. The finished product is a visual reminder of the prayer.

In meetings or in church I doodle constantly. It helps keep me focused. This book has bought a new dimension to prayer and doodling. As soon as I received this book I started to put it into practice. I spent over 15 minutes colour praying for my 29yr old son and it was a time of great joy and rejoicing. I've found that these visual prayers stay with me through the day so that I'm beginning to understand more what it is to pray without ceasing.

This book is good.. i mean really good.. (Hey everyone, come look at how good this book is)!.. i love it.. its very creative.. and im not.. so its fun.. and its cool to look at old prayers you drew.. sweet..

I read a summary about the book in Christian magazine. I did not purchase it for myself, but for my mom-in-law. I gave it to her for her birthday. A few weeks later she told me it was "right up her alley". That tells me that it will be a blessing to her.

Thanks!

I only heard of this book when it was referenced in Daniel Pinchbeck's superb and equally enjoyable "Breaking Open The Head." It clearly was a major inspiration for Pinchbeck's book, and the two make a great set for anyone seriously interested in Shamanism. It's true as noted in another review that some of the author's data is outdated and inaccurate. A revised edition is clearly in order, particularly regarding salvia divinorum, which is indeed one of the most potent entheogens thus discovered. "Sally" is a fickle sacrament, however, and DeKorne can be forgiven; he may have had a dud experience as many do. Despite the fact that there are several good web resources (and some great ones) with information regarding this subject, PSYCHEDELIC SHAMANISM is truly a classic in the genre, written from the standpoint of an intelligent and sophisticated "old head." It is entertaining and informative, offering insights and advice which shed important light on a multitude of shamanistic practices. DeKorne has a cool sense of humor and natural storytelling ability which make for great reading. I would put this book and Pinchbeck's at the TOP of any shamanic reading list and would read them both, starting with this one.

This book is a bona fide classic of psychedelic literature. It separates its subject into two parts: The Shamanic Hypothesis, and Psychedelic Catalysts. The first part focuses on experience; the second on the plants, their psychedelic chemicals, and how to grow and ingest them. The writing is calm, clear and vivid; and the various warnings and advice given should be taken very seriously indeed. If this book really is out of print it is a great loss. I recommend anyone interested in the subject of psychedelics to seek this book out and buy it.

I love this book! Finally someone who has a complete grasp on the subject and understands the imaginal realms as they might exist. It is obvious from the reading that Dekorne has done his homework and reveals to the readers the potentiality of specific psychedelics and what entity or belief system you may be subject to once you crossover into 'hyperspace'. As a mushroom user myself, I have definitely experienced 'voices' and other ancient mystified arenas that were very unknown to my space/mind reality, and so it was refreshing to read about other experiences that were to similar to my own.

Aside from the catalyst and dosage information, I absolutely loved Jim's stories at the beginning! They were funny and interesting to read, and revealed Dekorne as a very thoughtful
human being. It was nice to get such a great personality up front, and then enjoy the information thereafter. I definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in psychedelics!!! Dekorne will unravel some of the mystery of what you've been thinking about all along in your mind but never had a resource to really underline it for you.

This book is a bona fide classic of psychedelic literature. It separates its subject into two parts: The Shamanic Hypothesis, and Psychedelic Catalysts. The first part focuses on experience; the second on the plants, their psychedelic chemicals, and how to grow and ingest them. The writing is calm, clear and vivid; and the various warnings and advice given should be taken very seriously indeed. I recommend anyone interested in the subject of psychedelics to seek this book out and buy it.

DeKorne's _Psychedelic Shamanism_ continues to be a Must Read for anyone who considers entheogens and psychedelics to be indispensable allies in their spiritual quest. I can, however, only give the book three stars at the present time. There are several reasons for this:

- His advice on extraction of DMT from familiar grasses is, he admits, flawed. Instead of extracting n,n-DMT, he extracted 5-meo-dmt. This is an enormously different psychoactive material with very different dosing guidelines and effects. Any search on the experience vault at erowid will demonstrate that 5-meo-dmt is a powerful and possibly dangerous (if dosed incorrectly) material and qualitatively vastly different from n,n-dmt. But the fact that he is extracting 5-meo-dmt instead of n,n-dmt is presented almost as a footnote. I really feel that whole chapter should be stricken.

- His remarks that Salvia Divinorum is a weak psychoactive omits all of Daniel Siebert's work on the subject. We now know that Salvia Divinorum is one of the most powerful and spiritually useful of the entheogenic allies. Any book on psychedelic shamanism that omits most of what we know about S.D. must at this time be considered quite dated.

The information in this book is so dated that about anything deKorne writes should be confirmed by Erowid and other sources first.

The lack of a detailed treatment of Set, Setting and Sitter is troubling in a book so many use as a working reference. Dosing guidelines are also not dealt with extensively. There is so much missing in this book.

Mr. deKorne's comments on entities and the imaginal realm are right on target. But observing that noetic space is populated, and that not all that we encounter is trustworthy, tells us very little about how to proceed in psychedelic space, and how to regard these entities and deal with these impressions. Psychonauts need better guidance at this point. Psychedelic Shamanism is a good, albeit dated, travelogue. That is a given. But we need much more than that at this point. We need methodology. We need true shamanic guidance.

A really great monograph on psychedelic methodology can be found on the Internet by searching on the phrase "Comments on the Psilocybin Mushroom." I can also recommend many of the books of Eckhart Tolle, Stanislav Grof, and the works of Ralph Metzner. Many of the ideas in Michael Harner's _Way of the Shaman_ can also be adapted to psychedelic work by the imaginative reader.

Unfortunately, there really is not any one good source of information on navigating the psychedelic realm. Start with deKorne, and use his bibliography to read the many other excellent books on the topic. Read everything you can at Erowid. At this point we all have to piece it together for ourselves. Trust nothing you read until you have confirmed it again, and again.

This book was interesting and certainly kept one's attention and raised some interesting issues. The only objections I have are that the logic was inconsistent, the picture of university politics not realistic, and a very, very minor one - its "Columbia" not "Colombia" University.

I really didn't expect to like this book much based on the cover flap synopsis, but I could not have been more wrong. It grabbed me very quickly and kept me glued throughout to the last page. Even though the author was bold enough to set up overt clues early in the book about what would happen, I couldn't predict any of the twists and turns in the story. It was like being in the ring with a professional boxer, with blows landing at will from every angle. Unbelievable effort for a first novel. I am definitely looking forward to T.K. Kenyon's future work.

Rabid, by T.K. Kenyon, was released by Kunati, Inc. in Spring, 2007. It is an amazing book!
One word for this book: riveting. No, two words: riveting, compelling...actually, Rabid would take more words than I even know to use, and I'm a wordsmyth myself. I could not put it down.
T.K. Kenyon's Rabid is an amazing story. Masterfully woven plotlines and an absolute commitment to truth and utter refusal to play the complacency game left me feeling as if I had gone on an "explore" with the author. Kenyon has the gift of pulling the reader in to the world of her characters. She manages to make an untouchable character like Leila a sympathetic one.
I look forward to Kenyon's next novel. Can't wait.

I bought this book on a recommendation from a well-read friend, and after recently reading "Special Topics in Calamity Physics," "Saturday," and "Never Let Me Go," this book was exactly what I needed. At first blush, with its delightfully raunchy characters and turbo-charged pace, "Rabid" seems like a here-today, forgotten-tomorrow mass-market thriller you'd pick up in the front of an airport bookstore. However, this intelligent book has some intriguing, unusual themes stuck inside its highly digestible prose. The dialogue is, in my opinion, some of the best I've seen in any novel. The conversations amongst the characters are illuminating and entertaining without being unrealistic. Furthermore, as someone who has degrees in Biotechnology and Biomedical Engineering, I relished Kenyon's many references to laboratory culture.

Kenyon does an impressive job of juggling the four intertwined characters, and I was happy with three of the four endings. One of the character's endings just seemed abrupt and unfinished based on everything that had happened, but this didn't make me enjoy the book any less. This is an amazing and inspiring first effort. Kenyon skillfully teeters on the edge of absurdity with several of the elements in her plot; one almost expects her to take this plunge that many first-time novelists would indulge in, but she keeps the story firmly on the rails despite navigating amongst disparate settings.

If you're weary of a lot of the overwrought and unnecessarily obscure fiction that's been on the market lately and want a read that is unashamedly enjoyable yet thought-provoking, you won't go wrong picking up "Rabid."

A very good read from the first page. I liked this tremendously. Characters are well-defined and have depth and the action is unpredictable; this book is all it should be - absorbing and fascinating. Five stars.

Fantastic book that gives you 30-second thoughts that help you view the world and your christianity different.

I first started reading Manning about three years ago and found that he presents a very practical, life changing "Christianity" that leads one to really think about what and why you believe what you do. You will not read another author like him! He wants us to live victoriously, loving God passionately and not being afraid to show it, and loving others with a boldness. It has changed my life for the better!

This devotional book written as only Brennan Manning can write, is excellent! I read it every single day and go back to many of the daily writings for more inspiration any time of the day or night. Get this book for yourself, your friends and even your enemies. It's a "keeper!" And while you're at it, buy anything Brennan Manning has ever written. You won't be sorry.

I bought this book mostly for my geeky husband who doesn't do "recreational" reading. We both recently saw Brennan Manning in person and were blessed and encouraged. I didn't think my husband would read a full text as readily as this devotional. He is reading this book daily! My only complaint is that on occasion the comments contain deep theologial verbage without a whole lot of explanation (would've been in the longer texts?). My husband wouldn't keep reading, however, if it happened too often. A good little text if you want to get a taste of Manning's work. I prefer the regular whole texts to delve deeper, but this works for my hubby! Yay!

Brennan Manning "cuts to the chase", lifting us into the deep, merciful, tender, truthful, absolute reality of the Grace of God
freely given to all who will believe, through Jesus Christ His
only Son. WHAT A HEALING, LOVING, VERY REAL BOOK...one that
leads us "from playing church, to being the Church"

Sacred Wisdom is a great story about someone who gets caught up in the hustle and bustle of the daily grind without taking time to understand his purpose - until he was faced with some mystical experiences that made it clear that he had to. Isn't this something we all can relate to - too busy catching up with everything with no time to catch up with ourselves until we are forced to? I really enjoyed reading this book. Helga Schroder's style of writing is simple and descriptive which makes it a very easy read. A very suspenseful novel. I found myself just wanting to keep on reading to find out what would be next for Lou.

Ms. Schroder has given us all a special gift with Sacred Wisdom. Not only does she explore different religions, but we get to explore beautiful parts of our planet. And this leads us to the heart of the book...balancing man with planet and man with himself. Our young lawyer protagonist needs a change in his life and Ms. Schroder takes us along for a ride and it is done in such a way that slowly one is examing their own life, spirituality and touch with the earth. There is a positive message to the book that everyone will feel. Enjoy.

Helga Schroder, born and raised in Germany, is a graduate in Applied Linguistics. She is currently living in California where she is a Fulbright Scholar.

Sacred Wisdom is a story about Lou, the main character, who tries to find inner peace and a purpose in life. His journey into the spiritual world is adventurous and amazing bringing him a slow transformation of his soul as well as the love he is looking for. It is a positive novel that inspires and encourages people to start looking for their own inner peace and purpose in life.

The story is written in the first person and reads as a personal account. It is direct and vivid, truthful and fast- paced. It is a gripping story that inspires and entertains at the same time. It emits positive thinking and urges readers to discover themselves and work towards their ideals.

Helga tries to connect Christian religion to Buddhism by interpreting some Buddhism elements of faith into Christian ones. Thus, this story is a link between different cultures and religious beliefs, though it eventually focuses on Buddhism, which is evident that the author is in favor of.

The part about negative thinking on page 246 is quite interesting, as well as the part of the Lama teaching about death issues. The main concern of the author is the planet and the conservation of the eco system. She believes that each person should do something about our planet as the destruction is imminent. The whole story swirls around this issue and it certainly serves its purpose. The story is enlightening, yet entertaining and interesting. It involves vivid imagery, 'real' characters and some fantasy aspects such as visions of the spiritual world. The main character sees visions that eventually lead him to find the purpose in life: to fight for the planet.

The author uses clear language, at times colloquial-an interesting aspect of the book too. Readers learn about Sao Paolo in Brazil and read a lot of geographical facts and cultural aspects of the place. It is also interesting to read the meditation techniques Lou is practicing in order to get inner peace and relax. Undoubtedly the readers will learn a lot from this novel since it has got a lot of aspects found in non fiction books. Sacred Wisdom caters to all readers who have inquisitive minds and it is worth reading.

Liana Metal
Reviewer's Bookwatch

Lou van Helden is living his life according to the American dream. He has a good-paying job, a nice home, and he's searching for a beautiful wife to make it all complete. To his way of thinking, money can buy everything, and he wants as many of the good things as he can afford.

Then one day, while he's out taking a jog, he comes to a mysterious house in the woods and meets the Novemvirat, a group who tell him that he's a Knight of the First Order and he has an important mission in life. Lou is intrigued by their message, and is determined to find out what he needs to do to fulfill that mission.

His journey takes him to Brazil, where he visits with his Uncle Ray, a Catholic priest, who shares his experiences in living a simple and spiritual life. Then when Lou returns to the United States, he studies meditation with a Buddhist Lama. He also meets a wonderful woman who shares his vision of living a more spiritual life.

Lou's journey is not unlike the one many of us take at some point in our lives. We grow tired of material things, and instinctively know there has to be something more - something that really matters.

As Lou makes his discoveries about what's important to him, he inspires us to also search for and find that for ourselves. If we look within and learn to connect with our own spirituality, we can also find a path that brings us true joy.

Reviewer: Alice Berger
Bergers Book Reviews

This spiritual novel kept me interested from cover to cover. Well written and descriptive with just enough suspense to keep the story moving. Great messages throughout that help me to think about life and where my journey is taking me. Makes me want to take my own trip to Brazil!

We truly enjoyed this book about a hopeless and lost puppy who finds the love and comfort of a family who teaches her about the true essence of life. Her inspirational perspectives help serve as a reminder to us all those things most important in life such as hope, purpose, and love.

This book is a quick and easy read. Very thought provoking and deep. I love animals and I loved reading a book from the perspective of an animal. Can't wait for the next one!

Sadie Mae's words spoke to my daughter's heart and mine, directly through the eyes of our new mixed breed puppy as we read this insightful tale of love, hope, and the meaning of the true gift of life on this beautiful planet. I highly recommend this book and can't wait to read more on the continuation of Sadie Mae's journey.

This book will bring joy to your heart as the warmth and honesty pours out of each page. It has obviously been written out of love and compassion for both Sadie and for all of humanity. If you have ever looked into one of Gods creatures eyes and wondered what they were thinking then this book is for you. A true delight from beginning to end. Thank you Sadie Mae Baird for your insightful look on mankind.

Sadie Mae is indeed an avatar "the embodiment of something, an idea, or concept." Sadie is the embodiment of love...for her family, canine and human, and for all of creation. Her story starts as a delightful "bedtime story" and continues with concepts to teach all ages. I'm ready for Book Two!